To freeze or not to freeze...

We popped out to the beach at Smitingen between various jobs. I really thought the sea could be frozen after so much cold weather, and I know the ice-breakers are working both north and south of here, keeping the shipping lanes open.
However, the sea was still gently undulating, lapping at the shore, though it was covered in thin platelets of ice jiggling against each other. It was beautiful and very contemplative but -16°C is a bit chilly for too much contemplation.
Will it freeze? To be honest your guess is as good as mine but it won't freeze in the next couple of days because we are due some slightly warmer and windier weather, which will churn up all that thin ice.
The ice in the foreground has been thrown up in a previous storm and shows it's been close to freezing for quite a while now.
The beach was fairly empty but a few others were out, walking their dogs or fascinated by the possibility of even this outer coast  turning to ice.
We returned home to the log burner and a cosy evening.